SENATE STOCKED AND PEOPLES' FUTURE TRADED
FOR PRESIDENTIAL AMBITION - JAMBY

In his blind obsession to retain his chameleon Senate presidency at all costs, Senate President Manny Villar has become delusional. This state of paranoia does not bode well for the Senate leadership. It has become a great cause of concern for all senators, that the Villar style of leadership has lowered the standards of the Senate as an institution. One can only look at the recent Pulse Asia Survey on so-called presidential preferences to see that, he is not high in the affections of the Filipino people.

Having a trader at the helm of the Senate has turned the institution into one big stock market and session hall into a trading floor, where committees, like futures are given to the highest bidder in exchange for political loyalty and favors. Perhaps in the eyes of some, Senate President Villar may be commended because he has "developed" the Senate, and transformed it into a clearing house where the sole motivation is profit and self-interest. This has made statesmanship, principled stand, ethical considerations, word of honor and good faith obsolete. As the solid eight and the nine (9) administration senators are eased out in favor of his "chosen people", he brings a new definition to the term "holocaust" in the Senate. For this time, it is the "chosen people" who have sole control. Never in the history of the Senate has such a great monopoly of power been held by so few over so many. The greatest good is being sacrificed for margins of personal ambitions.

The Villar Senate Presidency will be tarnished by the death of democratic tradition and decency. We ask that the whole nation watch over him and his cohorts, sooner or later when the bubble bursts, the truth shall be revealed. In their own way, the solid eight and the nine (9) administration senators by showing their dissatisfaction to Villar's leadership continue to show their genuine concern in serving the interest of the Filipino people.